A Story Worth Staying For
Where yesteryear's charm shakes hands with today's comfort
EST. 1928
Look, we're not gonna pretend we invented hospitality or anything. But back in 1928, two visionaries - Marion Quinth, a theater impresario with more ideas than sense, and her business partner Samuel Tandem, who actually knew how to balance books - decided Vancouver needed something different.
They weren't wrong. The original building stood right where we are now, serving everyone from railroad magnates to traveling performers. Marion insisted on Egyptian cotton sheets when most hotels were still using whatever they could get. Sam made sure the place actually turned a profit. Together? They built something that lasted.
We've held onto that spirit - the part where you don't cut corners on comfort, but you also don't take yourself too seriously. It's worked out pretty well for nearly a century.
No corporate jargon here - just what actually matters to us
Our building's got some creaky floorboards in the older sections. We've kept 'em. They've got stories. We're about real experiences, not Instagram-perfect fakeness.
Our staff? Some have been here longer than some of our guests have been alive. They're not just employees - they're the reason this place works. Treat them well, they'll do the same for you.
We're custodians, not owners. This building's gotta last another century at least. That means sustainable practices, energy efficiency, and thinking beyond next quarter's profits.
Marion's Egyptian cotton thing? We still do that. Sam's attention to detail? Built into everything. Old-school hospitality meets modern expectations - no shortcuts.
Here's the thing about working at a heritage hotel - you don't just show up, do your shift, and leave. The place gets under your skin.
Our head concierge, Thomas, has been here 34 years. He remembers when we still had a manual elevator operator. Our executive chef trained in Paris but came back because, in her words, "this kitchen's got soul." Even our newest hires - they get it within weeks. There's something about maintaining a living piece of history that changes how you work.
We've got third-generation staff members. Families who've grown up around this place. When someone's grandfather helped rebuild the west wing after the '82 renovations, and now they're managing our conference facilities? That continuity means something.
The Marion Quinth Award - our internal recognition - goes to whoever best embodies that original spirit: ambitious service with practical execution. Last year's winner spent six months tracking down period-appropriate fixtures for a restoration project. Did it on their own time. That's the kind of people we've got here.
Nearly a century of stories, and we're still adding pages. Yours could be next.
Whether you're here for a night or planning your wedding in our heritage ballroom, you're becoming part of something that's been around since before your grandparents were born. That's kinda special, honestly.
